I was really nervous today, for two reasons:
1: I was going to visit Naru at the hospital by myself
2: I had a dream where something bad happened to Naru.
Not the best start for a day, is it?
Well, the hospital was nice enough. I knew my way around by now, and Naru was coming home tomorrow, so I really didn't need to be here today. But I couldn't help but feel that I did need to be here. Something psychic no doubt, and I know better now than to ignore my gut instinct.
I turned a corner and opened the door to Naru's room.
"Hey there." I said as I walked in. Naru looked up from a book he was reading.
"Hello Mai." He seemed a little distracted, but then again, so was I.
"So… I brought you flowers" I placed a little potted plant with bright green leaves and delicate red flowers.
"That's… kind of you." Okay, something wasn't right. The Naru I knew would have said that they looked out of place or too girly or something…
"Okay Naru, spill, what's bugging you?" He looked surprised at my question, then shook his head.
"You first Mai." I opened my mouth and then closed it again. He tapped his hand on the side of the bed. "Sit down." I did so, rubbing my arm like I do when I'm nervous. I think Naru noticed that, he notices everything.
"Well… I had this really strange dream last night…" I sighed. I really didn't want to remember it, but I'd have to try, if I wanted to hear what was on Naru's mind. He seemed to understand.
"It's alright, just take your time."
"Right," I nodded. "Well… to start with, I'm walking along this corridor-"
"Alone?" He interrupted. I nodded, then remembered something that I'd read in a spiritualist book that I'd bought out of curiosity.
"No… my spirit guide was with me." And I think that's what it is, though why it had taken the form of Naru, I have no idea.
"I see." He was sitting up in his bed now, listening intently to my story.
"Anyway… I was walking along this corridor, when all of a sudden, the ground started shaking, and-" The next part was so damn hard to say.
"And?" Naru pressed.
"And you were there," I said, and I could hear my voice cracking, " and there was something… I don't know what it was, maybe some sort of spirit, but it was really evil." I thought of its beady eyes and teeth like razors, with blood dripping down them and flesh in between them, and I shivered. Naru didn't need to know that part.
"And you were fighting it and it… was trying to eat you." I broke down crying at that. I felt arms wrap around me, and I didn't appreciate until later that Naru was giving me a hug.
"Mai, it's alright. It'll be alright." I sniffled and nodded. If Naru said everything would be alright, then I had no doubt that it would be. He pulled me away from him, and looked into my eyes.
"You can stop crying now, dummy." I nodded and dried my tears.
"Right, and don't think I'm crying over you, you big narcissistic jerk."
"Of course not. The spirit was really scary, that's all, right?" I nodded again. If only he knew the last part… then he wouldn't say I was a dummy for crying.
"So what was bugging you then?" I asked, not letting him get out of his end of the deal. He looked away from me, and could I see a tear drip down his cheek? No way. It had to be my imagination.
"Just… don't go to your house today Mai… I've … got a bad feeling about it."
"Um… okay boss. Then where do I go?""The office, Monk's house, Ayako's place, Masako's, … anywhere but your house. Please, Mai." If Naru says please, you really should listen to what he has to say. It'll be important. A narcissistic jerk face doesn't say please without a reason. He's even suggesting Masako's house? No way in hell am I going there. She'd probably set a guard dog on me. Or something.
"Maybe not Masako's then" He smiled, seeing the expression on my face.
"I'll just stick with the office. That way, you might get your tea early."
"I'll not hold my breath." He smirked, and I rolled my eyes.
"No, because then you'd be a ghost and forever haunt my tea-sets." Naru stared at me for a second, then laughed.
"What's so funny?"
"Haunting your tea-set? Where's the fun in that?"
"Um… seeing me fall over in surprise and fear every time you do it?"
"Mai, you are such a dummy." I raised an eyebrow.
"Why? Planning on haunting somebody else when you die?" I asked, very seriously.
"Actually, yes." He answered just as seriously."Oh… who?" that had definitely piqued my interest.
"Um…"
"Please tell me Naru! Please! I wont tell anyone, I promise!" I looked at him with the biggest puppy-dog eyes.
"You wont use the knowledge to blackmail me to go on a date with you?" I rolled my eyes.
"I'm not Masako, Naru." He sighed and shook his head.
"Alright, I'll tell you. I'm planning on haunting the person who killed my twin brother." Um. Did Naru seriously just say that? Am I hearing things.
"Like… identical twin?" He nodded. Suddenly everything made a whole lot more sense.
"Oh… um… Naru…" He raised an eyebrow at my hyperventilating fit of shock, surprise and understanding.
"It's not that crazy, is it Mai?" I shook my head manically, trying to get my breathing back under control.
"Um… it's not the fact that you have, sorry, had a twin brother… but more the fact that he guides me through my dreams."
Naru looked as if he'd been slapped in the face.
"What did you say, Mai?"
"I see your dead twin in my dreams." I think (crazy as it sounds) that Naru was having trouble formulating coherent thoughts.
"You see Gene in your dreams, and you never told me?" He didn't sound angry, but that didn't mean that he wasn't.
"I didn't know it was him. I thought-"
"you thought it was me?" He finished for me. I nodded, and I could feel myself blushing. He shook his head and laughed quietly.
"Didn't you think you were… crazy?" He asked. I shook my head.
"After meeting everyone at SPR? No way. I did wonder why he looked like you." I sighed. "Except he smiles" I grumbled under my breath. I don't know whether Naru heard me or not though.
"I'd better go Naru, it's gonna get dark soon, and I hate hospitals at night." I shivered, not wanting to think on the memories that brought back.
"Alright Mai. Be safe. I'll see you bright and early at the office tomorrow." He stopped, and I wasn't sure, because I had my back to him, and was about to walk out the door, but I think he looked sad. "That is, if you take my advice and stay away from your house." I smiled at that.
"It's alright Naru, I'll be okay. You know what, I think I might just go to Masako's. If I can find it.""I was hoping you'd say that. She mentioned something about a case she'd like us to solve, and I want you to see what it's about." I nodded, but sighed.
"I doubt she'll be happy to see me, Naru. She doesn't like me because she thinks you like me more than her, just because you call me by my first name. isn't that silly?" He wouldn't meet my gaze.
"Just go already Mai, before it gets dark. Wouldn't want the ghosts of the past to catch up to you in a place like this. Hmm?"
Damn that guy, He really does know everything. Well. Almost…
A/N: So… first chapter of a new fanfic,
Wonder how Mai going to Masako's is gonna turn out.
Gene: Probably turn into a catfight.
Me: who's gonna win?
Gene: Pfft, what do you think I am, some sort of psychic ghost?
Me:…. -.-